History of the Jews in Kizlyar
 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 5-10 | |
| Languages | |
| Hebrew (in Israel), Judeo-Tat, Russian | |
| Religion | |
| Judaism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Mountain Jews, Ashkenazi Jews. |
The Jewish community in Kizlyar, located in the Russian Republic of Dagestan, primarily consisted of Mountain Jews, a distinct Jewish group with their own language and customs, originating from the Caucasus region. Some Ashkenazi Jews, those who lived in the city of Kizlyar were the ones who mostly went into exile there.[1] Jews have lived in Kizlyar since the times of the Russian Empire.[2]
History
[edit]Russian empire
[edit]- In 1869, 35 Jews lived in Kizlyar.[2][3]
- In 1910, 173 Jews lived in Kizlyar, which was 1.6% of the total population.[2][3]
- At the end of the 19th century, there was one synagogue in Kizlyar.[2][4][5][6]
- In 1901, the first Zionist circle was organized. There was a cheder.[2]
- Before the October Revolution of 1917–1923, there was a synagogue on Jewish Street (now Frunze Street). The area around the synagogue was called the Jewish Quarter.[1][3] Mostly Mountain Jews lived there. There was no separate synagogue for Ashkenazi Jews; they went to the Mountain Jewish synagogue.[1]
- At the beginning of the 20th century, Rabbi Meir Hanukaevich Rafailov (?–1951) opened a “Mountain Jewish” school in the city of Kizlyar, where, along with secular subjects (mathematics, Russian and Judeo-Tat, etc.), they taught Hebrew and studied the Torah.[2][3]
- In 1913, Jews owned 6 shops and stores in the city of Kizlyar (including the only jewelry store).[2]
Soviet period
[edit]- During the Russian Civil War (1917-1923), Jewish refugees from neighboring villages arrived in Kizlyar.[2][3] The land of many Jews was requisitioned.[2][3]
- During the Soviet period, in the city of Kizlyar, the Jewish synagogue was demolished.
- In 1926, 319 Jews lived in Kizlyar, including 62 of Mountain Jews.[2][3]
- In 1927, a plot of 7 thousand dessiatins of land was allocated in the Kizlyarsky District for Mountain Jewish farmers.[2][3][7]
- During the Soviet period, schools and reading izbas for Mountain Jews were opened in the Kizlyarsky district.[2][3]
- 43 Jewish families from Kizlyar moved to the allocated land plots.[2][3]
- In 1930, in the Kizlyarsky district, the Jewish settlements Larinskoye and Kalinino were closed due to its unviability.[2][3][7]
- From 1928 to 1931, OZET and KOMZET branches operated in Kizlyar.[2][3][7]
- In 1939, 232 Jews lived in Kizlyar.[2]
- In 1959, 330 Jews lived in Kizlyar.[2]
- Until the 1990s, there were about 2,000 Jews lived in Kizlyar.[3][1] Approximately 70 percent were Mountain Jews and 30 percent were Ashkenazi.[1] The community rented a space in the city's House of Culture, two rooms: a large one for club meetings and celebrations, and a small one for an office.[1] The Jewish community opened a Family Club that used to meet every week. They regularly met there on Shabbat and Jewish holidays.[3][1][8]
- In the 1990s, “lawlessness” began in the city of Kizlyar, racketeers took away houses and businesses from Jews, evicted Jews from the city.[1] They threatened and forced Jews to leave. Some had Molotov cocktails thrown into their homes.[1]
- In the 1990s, there was a large outflow of Jews due to the Chechen War.[1] Jews left for Israel and to other regions of Russia.[1]
Russian Federation
[edit]- On May 6, 2005, the Orthodox Judaism company "Jewish Community of Kizlyar" was registered in Kizlyar.[9]
- In 2007, the Jewish community of the city of Kizlyar numbered 120–140 people.[1]
Since started the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, the work of the Jewish community in Kizlyar has been suspended. [10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Ilya Karpenko. Джууры в стране гор. Lechaim. July 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Kizlyar. Jews Encyclopedia. July 9, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Historical information. Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia.
- ^ History of Mountain Jewish Synagogues. STMEGI. October 11, 2011.
- ^ History of the Russian capital of Dagestan - Kizlyar. Magazine Woman of Dagestan September 30, 2023.
- ^ Exhibition "Kizlyar yesterday and today" was held in the anniversary Kizlyar. Newspaper Kizlyarskaya Pravda September 26, 2020
- ^ a b c Land management of Mountain Jews. STMEGI. April 26, 2012
- ^ Yekaterina Filippovich. From Iran to the North Caucasus: The story of Russia’s Mountain Jews. Russia Beyond. October 13, 2016.
- ^ Activities of religious organizations.
- ^ Representatives of Jewish communities called situation in Dagestan tense. Caucasian Knot. November 1, 2023.
